Q&A: Releasing a former inmate's medical record
Compliance Monitor, January 21, 2009
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Compliance Monitor!
Q: We treat many patients who come from a state prison. When these patients come to our facility, the officer signs the patient in, and we follow HIPAA privacy requirements. After this person is released from prison, is it a HIPAA violation to release the patient’s medical record as long as there is a signed authorization?
A: After the patient is no longer in the custody of the state criminal system, the record is in the control of the patient. PHI can be released without authorization for treatment, payment, healthcare operations (TPO), and certain other exceptions described in the HIPAA privacy rule (keeping in mind there are likely state laws that provide additional privacy protections and may require a signed authorization even for TPO). Other releases, such as to a spouse or an attorney, require a signed authorization from the patient.
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Compliance Monitor!
Comments
1 comments on “Q&A: Releasing a former inmate's medical record ”
- pamela (10/26/2009 at 11:58 AM)
- Can anybody help?MeI need advice.My brother passed away in the federal prison and I am trying to get his medical records.When I talk to the unit manager of that prison. He tells me he cant talk nothing about his medical. Can anybody please advise me where to start?I need help in getting my brothers medical records.
thank you.
Related Products
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- Q/A: Billing telemetry daily monitoring
- Credentialing monthly: What is the role of the credentials committee in addressing unprofessional conduct?
- 2010 ICD-9 code updates now available online
- Master modifiers to ensure accurate reimbursement
- H1N1 hits Maine facility
- Radiologist indicted for fraudulently signing reports
- Don’t be scared into silence: Affiliation letter safeguards allow you to disclose more
- National Quality Forum creates standardized set of data for electronic health records
- New report reveals $47 billion in Medicare fraud
- Understand the H1N1 Flu and how to code it
- E-mailed
-
- Credentialing monthly: What is the role of the credentials committee in addressing unprofessional conduct?
- Q/A: Billing telemetry daily monitoring
- Radiologist indicted for fraudulently signing reports
- Revised MS.1.20 'huge improvement', out for comment again
- H1N1 hits Maine facility
- New report reveals $47 billion in Medicare fraud
- Briefings on Outpatient Rehab Reimbursement and Regulations, December 2009
- Hand hygiene rates improved through variety of reinforcement styles
- Press Ganey report: Patient satisfaction increasing across the country
- Residency Program Alert, December 2009
- Searched
